The top 10 APAC supplement and nutrition brand stories of 2019 revealed

Nu Skin investigating death of Chinese woman who relied on supplements and refused medical treatment​

Nu Skin China has formed a focus group, led by the firm's country CEO, to look into the death ​of a 34-year-old Chinese woman who died from organ failure after allegedly refusing medical treatment for flu and fever, and instead insisting on drinking Nu Skin's fruit juice.

The deceased, surnamed Lin, died from organ failure caused by a severe lung infection on March 2. Prior to her death, she had been suffering from flu and fever for days.

She was also a seller of Nu Skin's products. Chinese media reports claim she relied on her 'mentor's' advice, and insisted on consuming supplements and fruit juice instead of receiving medical care.

Suntory reveals top five functional beverage trends shaping Japan's market​

Suntory has identified the top five consumer trends ​shaping Japan's booming dietary supplement market.

The country is witnessing a sharp increase in new product development, largely stemming from regulatory changes.

While firms previously had to adhere to the stringent Foods for Special Health Uses (FOSHU) rules, the introduction of the less rigorous Foods with Functional Claims (FFC) in 2015 enabled more innovation.

Meiji upgrades Lactobacillus yoghurt and beverage to claim uric acid-suppressing ability​

Meiji is relaunching two products, a yogurt and a beverage drink containing Lactobacillus, as Foods with Function Claims (FFC) in Japan.

The two products, Meiji Probio Yogurt PA-3 and Meiji Probio Yogurt PA-3 Drink, claim to suppress rising uric acid levels​, with 5.6 billion units of Lactobacillus gasseri​ PA-3 as their active ingredient.

PA-3 reduces uric acid levels by metabolising purine, a precursor to uric acid.

Further foray: Nestlé plans more A2 milk moves after launching world's first maternal milk powder​

Nestlé is furthering its foray into the A2 milk sector,​ having most recently launched the world's first A2 milk powder for mothers in China.

The product was launched through multi-channel sales in conjunction with e-commerce platform JD.com and renowned mother-and-baby chain Leyou, and is touted as beneficial to pregnant women's intestinal health and immune system.

Made with milk taken from purebred A2 cows identified via DNA screening, the product is imported from Switzerland, and contains folic acid, DHA and iron (among other nutrients).

Yakult Korea partners with Dutch firm to release functional drink with patented 'flavobiotic' formulation​

Yakult Korea has collaborated with Dutch life sciences firm BioActor to develop a new dual-purpose functional beverage​ for the South Korean market.

Called MPRO3, the single-serve bottled product contains liquid prebiotics, encapsulated probiotics (containing three different kinds of patented lactic acid bacteria), and BioActor's patented 'flavobiotic' ingredient, MicrobiomeX, and is said to benefit intestinal health.

Speaking to NutraIngredients-Asia​, BioActor MD Hans van der Saag said: "MPRO3 is a synbiotic product that combines prebiotics fibres, flavobiotics and probiotics. The probiotics are stored in the cap of the bottle (to ensure shelf-life stability), and the prebiotic fibres and MicrobiomeX are contained in the beverage below.​

Ageing in Japan: FANCL launches supplements to regulate uric acid levels in middle-aged men​

Japanese skincare firm Fancl has launched a supplement to reduce uric acid levels​ in men, and claims it is the first supplement to do so in Japan.

Targeted at middle-aged men, the supplement named Uric Acid Support comes in the form of capsules and is registered as a Food with Function Claim (FFC)​.

An elevated level of uric acid is a cause for concern, as it may lead to hyperuricaemia and eventually, gout. In response to queries from NutraIngredients-Asia​, a spokesman said the product was able to regulate uric acid levels due to the presence of ampelopsin and chitosan.

From Cup Noodles to nutricosmetics: Japan's Nissin launches probiotic and collagen beauty drink​

Japanese food firm Nissin, best known for its Cup Noodles, is venturing into the nutricosmetics scene​ with the launch of its beauty beverage, Fermented Hyalmoist Lactobacillus Drink.

The first beauty product by the company, Hyalmoist claims to provide moisturising benefits, reduce skin damage from UV rays, and decrease melanin production. The product has been available for sale since Monday, January 28.

Hyalmoist Lactobacillus​ (Lactobacillus gasseri​ N320), the probiotic ingredient present in the product, was selected after the firm had screened 1,000 different bacteria strains.

CBD expansion: Aussie pharma firm outlines Asia nutraceutical plans after China launch​

Australian bio-pharmaceutical firm MGC Pharmaceuticals is eyeing expansion in East and South East Asia​ with its cannabis-based nutraceutical products, after having recently launched in China.

In April this year, the company signed a deal with Chinese e-commerce import platform YuShop Global to distribute its CBD nutraceutical product line in the country; the agreement also involves YuShop providing sales, marketing, logistics and customer services for MGC in China.

The e-commerce platform — which has 1,500 retail partners in addition to its digital platform — is also in the midst of an eight-week market test campaign to gather data for a full-scale sales and marketing campaign to commence in June.

Freedom Foods expects lactoferrin production to meet rising domestic and Asia demand​

Australian firm Freedom Foods has started lactoferrin production at its Shepparton plant, with the goal of commencing sales of its lactoferrin in Q4 2019.

Earlier this month, Freedom Foods completed a key commissioning step at its Shepparton site for the production of the dairy protein lactoferrin, with an initial installed annual capacity of 16 tonnes.

According to the firm, it has received "strong market inquiry"​​ for its lactoferrin capacity, which it expects to sell into FY 2020.

Milk powder for teenagers: Nestlé China banks on growth from emerging category with new launch​

Nestlé China has identified milk powder for teenagers as a new growth area​ and has launched a related series of new products to capture the market.

Under the brand “Nestlé AiSiPei”, the firm has unveiled three new products – including two milk powder, and one oatmeal – aimed at the young children and adolescent nutrition market in late August.

The launch of “Nestlé AiSiPei” is also an upgrade from the previous “Nespray Student Nutrition” portfolio. The upgraded version has added nutrients such as DHA, vitamin C, D, calcium, and zinc into the formula.